The claws have come out again in a long-simmering family dispute over the Cousteau name, this time over a massive 1,500 unit condominium eco-project proposed by Jean-Michel Cousteau for the lush but lonely Punaluu District of the Big Island. Jean-Michel's step mom, the wife of the late great ocean explorer Jacques, issued press statements saying the Cousteau Society, which she heads, in no way sanctioned this project. For his part, Jean-Michel's Ocean Futures Society never claimed it had the support of the mothership. And the younger Cousteau has won accolates for his luxe eco-resort in Fiji. To us locals, however, this whole thing smacks of boondoggle. The Punaluu District is geologically unstable (on the slopes of Mauna Loa and Kilauaea, two very active volcanoes). There are very few places for swimming as the southern exposure to open ocean means very rough surf. It's really muggy a lot of the time. There are no decent restaurants. Sure, you've got a lot of turtles and endangered flora and fauna -- but is the best way to protect that stuff to build a massive condo? The one big project down in Punaluu already has trouble attracting people who want to vacation there. Worst of all, the golf sucks. Not surprisingly, environmentalists are apoplectic, claiming the resort and ensuing construction activity would damage habitat for rare hawksbill turtles, among others.

"Jacques Cousteau's widow blasts stepson's Hawaii condo plan": AP story in the IHT.

—Alex, 10/26/06